Chair



April 2s, 1942. A. E, JONES 2,281,037

CHAIR Filed March 18, 1940 as well as others, together Patented Apr. 28,1942 CHAIR Arthur E. Jones, Elkhart, Ind., assigner to Posture ResearchCorporation,` Elkhart, Ind., a corporation of Indiana `Appli@ation Maren1s, 1940, serial No. 324,585

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in chairs and it consists of thematters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is more particularly concerned with` chairs such as usedin oces and similar places and which include a backrest support having ahorizontal pivotal connection with the `seat whereby the backrest may beadjusted forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the seat.

One of the objects of the present invention is vto provide a chairhaving a backrest which may be readily adjusted forwardly or rearwardlywith respect to the said seat and whichis positively held in theadjusted position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a backrest adjustmentstructure for chairs, which is free of squeaks and rattles, which is ofsimple construction and which may be readily manipulated even byinexperienced persons.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a backrest adjustmentwhich has its parts so correlated and positioned under the seat as to besubstantially unnoticeable so as not to detract from the appearance ofthe chair.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, with the advantagesthereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section, from front to rear, of a seat portion andassociated backrest portion of a chair embodying the invention, theplane of the section being indicated by the line I I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, from side to side of the seat portion ofthe chair shown in Fig. l, as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. '1.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of `the invention illustratedin the drawing, 5 indicates the seat and 6 indicates the backrest of thechair. An angle bar-like member 1 is xed to the bottom of the seattoward each side thereof. The horizontal nange 3 of both members 'l-lface toward each other and are xed to the bottom of the seat, as willsoon appear, and the vertical flange 9 of lbeth of said members facedownwardly.

The seat is supported by a center post or spindle i0 which carries aspider Il at its spider includes laterally extending arms I2, having endportions each engaged with the underside of the horizontal flange 8 ofeach member l'. Bolts or screws I3 pass through the arms I2 and flanges8, into the seat bottom to hold the parts top end. The

(Cl. 15S- 161) in operative relation. The seat post or spindle isadapted for operative swivelling engagement in the usual barrel of thebase of the chair, which is not shown herein.

I4 indicates the means by which the backrest 5 is operatively connectedto the seat 5 as a whole for support thereby. As herein shown, saidmeans consists of a pair of laterally spaced posts or arms rest 6 isoperatively secured to the top ends of said posts or arms. The bottomend of said armsare curved forwardly and are suitably attached to atubular shaft i6. This shaft is journalled at its ends in suitableopenings in the fiange 9 of both members 1 1 toward the rear of theseat. r

An arm i7 is fixed at its rear end to the shaft IE at a point spacedinwardly from the flange 9 of the member at the right hand side of theseat. This arm Il extendsforwardly from the shaft and terminates in asegmental rack I8. Toward the forward end of the last mentioned member lthere is provided a bracket I9 of substantially an L-shape, when viewedfrom the front end of said member 1. The bracket I9 includes a verticaliiange 2n that is fixed directly to the flange 9 of said member by bolts2l and a bottom end horizontal flange 22. This ilange extends inwardlytoward the median line of the seat considered from the front to therear.

A screw-like worm 23 is disposed in a substantially vertical position soas to engage the teeth of the rack IB. This screw-like worm has reduceddiameter end portions 24 and 25, the former of which is journalled inthe flange 8 of the member 'I and the latter of which is journalled inand extends through a suitable opening in the flange 22. That part ofthe screw 23 which extends through the flange 22 is provided with ameans whereby said screw may be manipulated for turning in one directionor the other. In the present instance said means is illustrated as across slot in the bottom end extremity of the screw, to receive a screwdriver.

When the screw 23 is turned in one direction or the other, it isapparent that by reason of its engagement with the rack I 8 of the arml1, said arm is caused to swing upwardly or downwardly about the axis ofthe shaft I6 to which it is attached. As the arm Il and the arms |5-|5,which carry the backrest 5, are xed to the shaft l 6, it is apparentthat the backrest 6 is caused to swing forwardly or backwardly withrespect to the seat, within a limited range. Thus the back- |5 at theback of the seat and the back- I rest may be moved into the desiredposition with respect to the rear edge of the seat.

It is pointed out that the teeth of the rack I8 and the threads of thescrew 23 are operatively engaged at all times and therefore the screw,through the rack and the arm I'I, holds the backrest against undesiredmovement when in its adjusted position. Thus the chair may be movedabout from one place to the other, by grasping the backrest, withoutaltering the adjustment. The screw 23 and rack I8 on the arm I'I alsoprovides a squeak-proof engagement and one in which no rattles canvdevelop to produce objec' tionable noises.

The bracket I9 being a part separate from the associated angle barmember 1, makes assembly of the screw a simple matter and whereby thescrew may be properly engaged with the rack. As said bracket I9 isdisposed inwardly from the associated side of the seat, as well asinwardly from the front of the seat, and as it is relatively shortvertically, it is substantially unnoticeable.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement :and construction of the parts involved, the same is tobeconsidered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to belimited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

, l. A chair embodying therein a seat, a back rest supporting means,means providing a pivotal connection between said supporting means andsaid seat, an arm xed at one end to a part of said pivotal connectionmeans andv extending therefrom in the direction of the sides of theseat, and formed at its other end with teeth arranged on an arcconcentric with the axis of said pivotal connection, a member having ahelical thread engaged with said teeth for swinging said arm about saidpivotal connection, and a member depending from the seat and havingmeans cooperating therewith in providing bearings in which the ends ofsaid member with the helical thread are journalled.

2. A chair embodying therein a seat, back rest supporting means, meansproviding laterally spaced vertical flanges on the underside of saidseat, a shaft journalled at the rear of and below the seat and in saidflanges and to which said back rest supporting means is operativelyattached, an arm fixed at its rear end to said shaft and extendingforwardly therefrom and having 'teeth on its forward end, a screw-likemember beneath said seat and engaged with said teeth, means providing abearing for the top end of said screw-like member, and means dependingfrom one of said flanges and providing a bearing for the bottom end ofsaid screw-like member.

3. A chair embodying therein a seat, back rest supporting means,laterally spaced means on the underside of said seat and each includinga vertical flange, a shaft journalled at its ends in said anges and towhich said back rest supporting means is operatively attached, an armxed at its rear end to said shaft and extending forwardly therefrom, andhaving teeth on its forward end, a 'substantially vertically disposedscrew engaged with said teeth, and a bracket depending from one of saidmeans and coacting therewith in providing bearings in which the ends ofsaid screw Aare journalled for a turning movement. Y

ARTHUR E. JONES.

